Aside my constant fiddling with my new tablet, I still drew up these traditional concept works of my OC's clothes. They're adapted to the shredding issue he has with his power's conjurations. One side are just simple sketches, but I did put effort into the pen work on the right. Anywho, enjoy!

Anatomy, This is all over the place, even for the most stylized characters their are rules for how the character has to appear. You've got to learn these if you want to improve. Your problems range, but your head shape and arm length are the primary issues.

Poses, they are stiff and lack originality. Remember the center of gravity is usually is in the center of the stomach but it moves and you HAVE to center the characters weight.

Perspective, even though in poses like these the size change isn't dramatic you have to take it into account feet hardly ever rest perfectly level and your have to be very precise in HOW you stagger them, same with hands same with clothing.

www.Posemaniacs.com , do about 20 thirty second gesturals every day in addition to normal drawing and it will help you improve all three of those. I've been doing those for a week and it has helped me improve quite a bit, It'll probably be only a little longer till I can apply it to every facet of my drawing and sketching.

Clarity, Your guy on the right, your detail it's fantastic, but it lacks depth. the way you draw with dark black lines destroys the subtle detail, There are visual cues of depth perception where objects closer in your perspective(hint hint) are more detailed and objects in the back are less detailed. People automatically infer the additional detail because they see it up front. Additionally objects up front are lighter objects in back are lighter(to be fair this isn't necessarily true but the way you perceive it is essentially the same). Clarity without changing anything else will do wonders for what you do.

Consistency, seriously this one is hard it just requires you draw alot, but make sure a character looks like a character. Gesturals will help with this, but so will detailed portraits and anatomy studies.... honestly GL with it

@Tasty: I'll be completely honest with you. I had some sweat trickle down my back when I saw that ruthless onslaught of critiquing. Perhaps it's because I've been lacking proper critcism from comments. Secondly, I haven't been drawing like I used to, so that's probably why I'm lacking in skill. I hate to make this sound like I'm ungrateful for your honest opinion, and it really helps me - definitely, but I just feel like it was unnecessary for this particular piece, as I didn't put my heart into it... I just had an idea in my head, and I drew it onto a piece of paper. <:/ Now, if you regarded toward pieces prior to this one, then I take back that whole sentence. XD Anywho, I'll take into consideration your words, and see what I can do. A majority of the issues you see are probably fixed already, I just need to reember how I helped prevent myself from doing them. Srsly, it's been awhile since I've drawn anything traditional. TnT I've had four years of hardcore art classes, so I just need to get up from my lazy ass and commit myself back to them.

Keeper wrote:@Tasty: I'll be completely honest with you. I had some sweat trickle down my back when I saw that ruthless onslaught of critiquing. Perhaps it's because I've been lacking proper critcism from comments. Secondly, I haven't been drawing like I used to, so that's probably why I'm lacking in skill. I hate to make this sound like I'm ungrateful for your honest opinion, and it really helps me - definitely, but I just feel like it was unnecessary for this particular piece, as I didn't put my heart into it... I just had an idea in my head, and I drew it onto a piece of paper. <:/ Now, if you regarded toward pieces prior to this one, then I take back that whole sentence. XD Anywho, I'll take into consideration your words, and see what I can do. A majority of the issues you see are probably fixed already, I just need to reember how I helped prevent myself from doing them. Srsly, it's been awhile since I've drawn anything traditional. TnT I've had four years of hardcore art classes, so I just need to get up from my lazy ass and commit myself back to them.

I remember this one time I went on conceptart.org... I posted a piece I worked on for a long time, basically they called it crap and I hated them for it, but everything they said was true. afterwords I improved quite a bit. I write critques with this in mind... If the artist your critiquing isn't annoyed/upset/pissed/crying your doing it wrong. still you made me feel bad bout it

And I felt like shit afterward, so we both had a bad effect from it... <:/ But ya know, let's put it all behind us now. I understand the sharp, but enlightening sting of critcism, epsecially when I've dished it out myself. I know I felt offended by your critique, but I'm over it. It's true, though. I'm in the process of drawing a more dynamic pose for Lucifer, even with a little foreshortening included. Please don't stop criticizing my work, Tasty. You're perhaps the only person here, or on the entire internet, who actually cares enough to go in-depth with my work. I've worked hard to get my style where it is, and my art teacher once said you don't have to listen to all criticism, but it's always smart to take it in anyway. It helps in the long run. So, I may not agree with everything you said, but I'll certainly use it regardless. You're honest, intelligent, and straight to the point with your critiques. So, don't feel bad about it. You were only doing what an artist does onto another - improve their art. I apologize for not saying it before, but thank you very much. <:]

thanks for understanding Somewhat though my critique was in error my comments were general and not specific, and I was applying your word on the sketches to all that you had drawn. After word I realized how much I'd hate it if my art were judged by past attempts and sketches (hence why i delete them ). But ya, Ill always be happy to provide honest critique.

Thanks for understanding me, Tasty. I appreciate your critiques in most forms, asides those justified through past pieces and sketches, but I hate to quote you. Anywho, I'll post the rought draft of my newest piece sometime tomorrow or tonight. I'll appreciate a critique if I did it right or wrong. The input will be fully welcomed.

Well, I both thank you and welcome you, Maxgate! And not worry. I know an array of friends who don't have English as their native language. Of course, that shouldn't stop you from improving it in the future. Anywho, I understand ya, clear as day!

I'm approaching my newest work more carefully right now. So, I decided to upload the rough draft to an upcoming piece of my OC, Lucifer Stephenson. The composition consists of that feeling of anguish to the malignant force that exists inside him. ANywho, I posted this in hopes of critiques. I'll accept compliments too, but I want to improve. I'm looking to see if his antomy is correct; the clothes appear more dimensional (despite this still being a mere sketch); and if his leg on the right was foreshortened enough to give that right appearance of it being in the distance. Anything. I want to know, so I can improve it. (Just no nitpicks, please. 0_-') So... here's the Joker to miss my sentence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bfcsaFPclA

hmmmmnnnn... alright, key word here Tension. He has close to the right pose but he does not look tense. For his neck, I feel like it needs to be thicker with more detailed features. We perceive tension through very specific relationship that is dependent upon how the joint and muscles above it are tensed. During this tension muscles contract(hence tension) and cause bending of limbs. You have this relationship right on the upraised arm but they look less dramatic on the arm against his body. Either adjust lower arm so that is lies less flat against his body and protrudes more or spread his arm to the left, personally I'd prefer this option since it spreads the chest muscles(His abdominals as well) and if done correctly would both reduce negative space and add depth to the piece, but that's my preference. For the lower body make sure to control the baggy-ness its destroying the tension in the lower calf muscles that show the trauma. For the back leg make sure you aren't losing the shape of the leg, it's very linear right now and reveals less of the shape that indicates trauma than the front leg. also I recommend hiding the face less(or not at all) faces often reveal tension even if the rest of the picture doesn't; I feel like the arm and the hair blocking the face subtract from detail.

Posing/Perspective-ish, this one is tricky, essentially I'm not seeing defined camera angle, as of now it seems like your looking at about waist level. The mental image I got from what you described and the flow of the image makes me want to view this almost looking down or up. It kinda seems like the perspective your using is gimped by relying on frontal perspective. You have such nice form on the hand and the front leg then you drew the back half very flat-on and conservatively. Don't be afraid to use it more dramatically. Remember your vanishing point; Its very hard to explain how this applies to figures. I will say this though their is a discrepancy in how your vanishing point is acting on the perspective of this figure.

Anatomy, Upraised arms too long, thats it, the rest are nit picks. Control the face a little better, i just feel you could structure his face with a little more definition. Shoulders and chest could be wider it adds to the space where you can detail tension in the upper body. I guess I feel the over all shape isn't masculine enough for a male character, a little to slim. Seems like your combining youthful anatomy with mature anatomy, pick one. To be honest though it seems like your leaning toward slender mature anatomy.

Effects/Composition, Pick a focus for the piece and center that focus; a person is an unfocused selection. Think about it we hardly ever see a person as a whole we often pick piece of anatomy and and focus on it, like the face. I don't know what you're doing for the effects on the page and a draft of just those would probably help my critique. To be honest just be cautious they don't lead away from the figure they do now.

Now It would also help me if you listed the materials your using and media, cause as of now your not allowing all the detail your capable of to come through and there are a number of ways I can interpret your scan, but to advise I need specifics.

Phew, that's a marathon it's a good draft, I look forward to the next one. Btw shakugan no shana is AWESOME... <3 to your sig.

This is a revision of a fan character into an original character. His name is Jazzal, who was once a "heartless boy" and is now a mystical jester/harlequin.

This new Jazzal is an existence of sorts. He personifies the karmaic balance that our world operates on.

As far back as the first act of human folly was committed to this world, Jazzal grew off from each one, and finally manifested himself. He meant not to bring out these mistakes though, but to learn from them and build himself into an entity that mankind could not. Jazzal firstly hid from the world in shrouds of his own skin, like drapes concealing some terrible secret; though, in time he glistened into a strong spirit of pure virtue, almost a celestial in his own right.

He sought interaction with the humans, and did so with an array of individuals, constructing strong friendships with people around the planet - even achieving a relationship with a frail little girl in North America, whom he held to a impregnable affection for. Sadly, the sudden death of the child left him aghasted by the own world's follies, in which the blame of her demise could have been from anyone's or anything's hand. Jazzal could not find an answer with which he sought desperately. Finally, what came to him was an aliment. Cancer.

Medical science was unknown to the mystical clown, and all he had was a pendant to remember her by. Stricken with grief and masochism, he scarred his torso and thighs with the treasured piece of jewelry, and stitched them with the very rings that chained the innocent child's necklace that was now a piece of him. Jazzal's skin tone turned a sickened dark blue, as his own disposition fell into depression.

Regardless of his turmoil though, he continued to seek guidance and found it in the nightmare; Crypt. Crypt taught Jazzal to forget the past and move on with the present, alongside teaching him the combat capabilities of his abilities. Jazzal was a calm natured lad though, and would not harm anyone without proper justification. Even then, his guilty conscience would devour his very mentality.

Today, Jazzal still walks among the humans, portraying a face of malcontent and dismay. The follies of man had him entitle himself the "Motley La Folly." An alias associating the attire of a mirthful jester and aligning it in the image of human mistake. He carries the ideology with enlightenment though, and shares his empathy to those who are in dire need of it wherever he may be traversing through. The only true sadness came from our own afflictions on this world, that it even reached those greater than us humans.

Meet the first of Jazzal's various forms (currently three at the moment.). This one is entitled "Mascherari Marotte." Translated as maskmaker in Italian and the other being the literal term for a jester's/fool's scepter, Jazzal has greatly change in physical apperance.

Mascherari Marotte was a form that Jazzal masqueraded in, typically do to his shyness from the world around him. His initial location of origin was in Venice, Italy, during Carnevale. The themes of Venice's mirth and imagination was the inspiration that had Jazzal assume his harlequin appearance. Though, his formation of Mascherari Marotte was immensely inspired by the craftmanship of Venican carnival masks. The jester took into detail their various styles of masks, parading them about his body. As of now Jazzal's masks are: a shattered Moretta tied to his bicep; a black jeweled Medico Della Peste attached to his dolman; a horned Bauta tied around his wrist; an omnious Volto wrapped around his middle flesh strip; and a Columbine on his face, completely blocking out the top section of his facial features, especially his eyes.

Jazzal's body itself lacks all but his neck and arms. Though, the source of where they portrude is unknown and practically unseenable. Taking the term "marotte" to close attention, Jazzal is by a phyiscal form of a marotte's headpiece. Regardless of the grotesque anatomy, the jester is quite forminable as he is. The numerous strips of flesh that dangle from underneath his decorative collar are armed with the durable, ebony material that made up his prior form's boots. These appendages as well can extend in length, allowing quick whiplashes and stabs from them, dealing death to those who are to approach too close. His claws were as they were before -- sharp and swift. They are only now aided by the numerous shreds of cloth on his arms, allowing to entangle his foes and unleash an array of slashes. Oddly, though, Jazzal's eyes are unuseable when he is Mascherari Marotte, as his origin of sight is transferred to the unique eyeballs atop his jet-black peacock feather . This horizontal-and-vertical pair can see from great distances and see within the darkness, as well as the ability to temporarily blind, or in some drastic cases, evaporate another's eyes with an immolating flare from their crimson gleam.

Jazzal's bodiless form stays afloat from the magical essence that keeps him within existence. He takes advantage of this to wisp about and perform amazing, acrobatic feats in midair. Within offensive terms, he is more than capable of attacking from the skies as well. The jester can build up speed by compiling gusts and trapping the wind within his raffles, then exploding them from behind and launching himself at astonishing velocities. There are some difficulties in his sense of steering, though, an easy act of ensnaring his opponent normally requires little need for accuracy.

Some of Jazzal prior features are still present, despite his overwhelming transformation. Examples of these would be the scars from his chest and thighs. Rather being in their original locations, they are scattered about the flesh strips that drap from his collar. Jazzal's collar has retained its original form, but with a secondary one below it and appearing in a wider frame. His original tones are as well present, still retaining his crimson locks of hair and his skin's dark blue coloration. The only change to the jester's characteristics is, perhaps, his personality. His grim remorse to violence is actually more lenient, allowing him to put aside a guilty conscience to the consquences of violence and attack with his full prowess. Gifted this cold-blooded attitude and his form's sharp quickness, Mascherari Marotte is necessarily his most reliable in terms of melee abilities.

Well, that marks down for one form. I sitll need to draw out his purified form, and I've been thinking of a corrupted form, but that's still in conception. This was done with 0.1 and 0.5 sepia ink and shaded with .5mm and .7mm mechanical pens. I hope you enjoy it!

I try to make my OCs as unique as I possibly can. This can be difficult though, mostly because there's so much to rember when I'm re-drawing them. Haha. I've always need references for past OCs with complex designs, or features in general. They're fun making though, especially when I look into other cultures for inspiration.

Lol. It's from the drive to make my stuff stick out from others'. X3 And no way, your stuff isn't bland! D: I particularly like it that you're that skilled without having been taught by an art teacher. That in itself takes alot of skill to self-teach yourself so much.

heh' thanks! ^^ but i can't really take credit for it as being diligent or what ever. it just when im bored i auto draw. And since school comes in such abundance in peoples early years. Never even looked at an art book or nuthing until my last year of high school when my teacher said "what you gona do for university" me="uuuuuuuu..." and thats how it went. =3

Wow. O_OTook me some time to read through some of the comments and look at the artwork, but I'm honestly impressed by the amount of detail you put into your art.Of course, saying that by itself isn't enough.

Your artwork is successful in its pursuit to be grotesque. Very, very successful.I'd go as far as to admit that certain works such as "Liberation through Laceration" actually gave me a gag reflex, and that's awesome considering that these are only 2D representations of a figure!

I love your art, and I have no criticism of it, because such a blend of surreal abstraction makes a piece of art able to become anything within a realistic dimension.

On that note, I've always had a soft spot for eerie art! ^^;(Too many people under-appreciate it!)(Though gruesome art makes me nauseated) x_x

Oh, well, the detail is a majority of the work, and for someone to compliment that aspect of my art, I happily welcome it. That in itself be enough for a comment in my book.

It was a pursuit filled with difficulties. I had a personal friend who helped point me in the right direction when it came to making my dark art intimidating and eerie at the same. Lol. I haven't had anyone gag from nausea after looking at my art, being as most of the blood is ink black at times. But I'll have my sinister li'l mind consider that a compliment. ;3 Perhaps it was the sight of the sight of the blood? Nehehe~.

No criticism is all right, why, with the constructive compliments. It's rather odd as my brother remarked how abstract my art can look, but he meant this in a teasing manner, despite it being a kind remark. Oh, I simply love surrealism; I still consider the Black Dahlia as the most compelling example of surrealism, despite this being a gruesome and frankly, disturbing murder case. I try to affix my own style with all my OCs, especially the ones associated with a common story. Story plays a big factor in my art, as each OC has their own to tell.

Indeed. The art of macabre is quite underminded from mainstream art. I hope to aim that into a better direction, for it can tell the darkness reality itself has to share with us, that our ignorances try to elude in some rapturous way. The world isn't all lolipops and sunshine, you know.

Oh, I have a new one now. It's a contest try from the art forum's recent Challenge Yourself. A sea creature no less.

The Lindmortis

There is a malign legend of an enormous, aquatic creature which dwells within the shadowy depths of the Indian coast. Necessarily, no man traverses into these treacherous waters, had they been forewarned of its concealed dangers. Unfortunately, there is the ever-present soul who scoffs these grave premonitions, and comes to spend a night within the coastal oceans. Naturally, only the claps of the waves and the solitude of the quaint currents seem only noticeable. Perhaps a large fish or two at moments; though, the quivering shock of a sea snake brushing passed their leg can bring about an unsettling realization. Amongst those who trespass into these hellacious waters at day's end are girded by India's common sea snake: the Beaked sea snake. These species of sea snake are described as highly aggressive and nearly savaged, marine reptiles. Their venom is highly potent, and have the potentiality to even kill. This enough is a fair warning to flee from the waters. Yet... there is always a foolish mind who would think otherwise. Thus the true terrors of the waters would come to arise.

A carcase is said be seen drifting aimlessly amidst the hollowed currents. Mangled, decaying, absolutely bare; the body is riddled with blackish spikes and cysts, its entirety stricken with severe livor mortis. The corpse's pinnacle characteristic is the freshly cleaned skull, completely stripped of flesh and muscle, only with a tan coloration left. The weary soul who stays this far typically investigates this eerie case of a dead man's float. As they swim further to the floating cadaver, it is the last sensation of peace they experience before the nightmare begins. Violently, they would be dragged into the dark waters, a spinal agony arising from their back as ebony spikes impale into them. They would hear a sickeningly snap of their spinal cord, either killing them on the spot, or throwing their entire self into paralysis. A quick death is the common wish, as this would be the desired fate than to gaze into the deathly eyes of their gigantic assaulter. The stifling exhale of the beast's mandibles is nearly unbearable, as the leviathan is a living, breathing creature of pure pestilence. Those brought beneath the waters meet face-to-face with the Lindmortis.

The Lindmortis is a gigantic sea serpent, with such minor fish features as fins. It is said to have the body of a dragonfish alongside its terrifying similarities to an angler fish's jaws. Though, such testimonies are only feeble before the true alien and otherworldly appearance of this marine nightmare. The Lindmortis has a sadistic preference to overkill. They use the darkly crimson ends of their fins to inject a highly potent venom into the body, from the mixture of hollowed spikes clustered about them. The main fins atop their scalp are shrouded over the sides and back of the Lindmortis, having the overlapping fin appear as an enormous cowl or hood. No other predators can outmatch the sea serpent, not with its ability to dash throughout the waters at lightning speeds. Through this the likeability for any approaching fish or other marine life of being slashed by its spiked underbelly, or simply poisoned by the sharp edges of its fins, is highly possible. The Lindmortis normally hunts for prey during the night, for when humans are distracted by the sea snakes it uses as a trump card to its sinister hunting methods. Its growth on the side of its serpentine body is typically the remains from displeasing meals. The Lindmortis has the decaying corpse become a part of itself, having its ebony underbelly grow over it till its rendered a complete part of the sea serpent. For the time being it proves to be its most successful method of attracting human prey. A particular characteristic of the Lindmortis is the glowing insignia that is seen in the middle of its forehead. This insignia is one of the numerous symbols of death. It is told to be the very last image its surviving prey peers upon before being devoured by the Lindmortis' twisted fangs.

Though, in terms of the Lindmortis' survivability within its environment, it normally stays within the water, absorbing the water's oxygen into its bloodstream through the thousands of hidden gills clustered about its wrinkled body. It normally dwells within the abyss, protected by jagged rocks or underwater caverns, typically riddled with remains of drowned or devour humans. The Lindmortis sleeps most of the day and comes out to routinely swim about its hunting grounds at night. There is only a sole Lindmortis, though, it reproduces by going on consistent hunts outside of its waters, to compile numerous mortalities back with it. It builds these corpses together by gluing them with the blood within its bulging veins, which upon its coming death, the corpse amalgamation absorbs the blood into their bodies, and slowly mutates into a larval Lindmortis. This newborn Lindmortis hunts smaller prey such as children, before it finally matures into an adult Lindmortis. It is then the vile cycle of the Lindmortis continues, marking man as its favored meal.